Faithful Focus in a World of Daily New Urgencies
Dear Beloved in Christ,
“Jesus would withdraw to deserted places and pray.”* (Luke 5:16)
As we enter this sacred season of Lent, I find myself drawn to this simple verse about Jesus. In a ministry surrounded by constant demands—healing the sick, teaching the crowds, challenging authorities, training disciples—Jesus consistently withdrew to pray. He knew that effectiveness in God’s reign flows not from frantic activity but from deep communion with the Creator.
Martin Luther took Jesus’ example seriously as wisdom echoes in this simple yet profound insight: “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Jesus taught and Luther learned the paradox that challenges our modern instincts: when the needs multiply, the first response should be to pause, not rush forward.
We find ourselves in a moment of overwhelming need. The list of injustices demanding our attention grows daily. Immigration and refugee crises unfold. Educational inequities widen in our communities. Violence tears at our social fabric. Environmental concerns mount. Political divisions deepen. Each day brings fresh urgency, a new crisis that seems to demand our immediate response.
The world’s systems would have us believe that we must address everything at once, that each of us bears responsibility for every injustice. But this approach leads only to exhaustion, despair, and ultimately, paralysis—none of which serves the gospel or the world God so loves.
What if…?
What if this Lenten season became our wilderness—our intentional withdrawal for prayer? What if we used these forty days not just for personal spiritual practices but for holy discernment about where God is specifically calling each of us to direct our energy and gifts?
The liberating truth we must remember is this: None of us—as individuals, disciples, leaders, or congregations— are called to address every injustice simultaneously. Rather, we are called to attend to those issues that kindle a holy fire within us. We are called to the work for which we are best equipped and positioned. We are called to focus so that we might serve effectively rather than collapsing under the weight of trying to attend to it all.
Where Might God Be Calling You?
During this Lenten season, I invite you to consider where your heart is drawn. Use these forty days to follow Jesus’ example and Luther’s response to the urgency of the moment—withdraw, pray, and listen. Fast from the compulsion to respond to everything, and feast on the clarity that comes with focused purpose. Ask not, “What should we do about all these problems?” but rather, “What is the specific work God has prepared, equipped, and empowered me to do… for such a time as this?”
A Blessing for The Journey
As you enter this season of holy discernment, may you find freedom in the permission to focus rather than fracture.
May you discover the power that comes not from doing more but from doing what you can with your whole heart.
May you trust that as each part of Christ’s body fulfills its unique function, the whole body grows in health and strength.
And when Easter morning dawns, may you emerge from this Lenten journey not depleted but renewed, with clarity about the particular path of discipleship that is yours to walk in this moment in history… with God’s help and in Jesus’ name. Amen.
En Cristo,
Rev. Leila M. Ortiz, Bishop